Mountain Partnership

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Mountain Partnership

Mountain products – improving livelihoods at high altitudes

Inter-regional case study

Abstract

Coffee is the world’s second largest legally traded commodity after petroleum. Over 60% of coffee production comes from family farms of less than 10 hectares. Approximately 25 million farmers, mostly in developing countries, depend on incomes from coffee. Arabica coffee, which represents about 70% of the world coffee trade, is grown exclusively in the tropical mountains and uplands of the world.

Dean’s Beans® is a community-based roaster and importer of fair trade certified, organic, shade-grown mountain coffees which also designs and supports people-centred development and activism at home and in mountain villages around the world. Each player in Dean’s Bean’s® cycle of production and distribution, from the farmer to the consumer, participates in environmentally responsible and socially just trade.

Dean’s Beans® was started in 1993 as a vehicle for economic and social change, but importantly, it is also a profitable business. Following a careful approach of “environmentally-supported growth”, the business has now has more than US$ 1.3 million in annual sales and offers the largest selection of organic fair trade coffee in the USA.

Dean’s Beans® buys from coffee growers’ cooperatives in 11 countries and maintains direct personal relations with each one of these cooperatives, including supporting projects to improve production and processing infrastructure, access to credit, clean water supplies, education, health clinics, cultural events, environmental conservation and importantly, conflict reduction. Some of the positive impacts include increased household incomes, more stable communities (stemming out-migration), better community health, dignity and pride in autonomous development through honest work. Producer cooperatives are located in the uplands of Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, East Timor, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Peru and Sumatra.

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